Armenia is becoming an increasingly important partner for the European Union in the South Caucasus, Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, told Armenpress in an exclusive interview during his visit to Armenia.

Commissioner Brunner emphasized that the Armenia-EU partnership is based on shared values, such as democracy, the rule of law, and the goal of building a free and prosperous future.

“Armenia is a very important partner for the European Union, and it is fair to say that our relations have never been closer. In recent years, we have seen strong momentum in political dialogue and reforms. The adoption of the new Strategic Agenda for the EU–Armenia Partnership reflects this progress and sets ambitious priorities to deepen cooperation in many areas. This is also reflected in the fact that the EU has visa-free travel agreements with more than 60 countries, and Armenia is currently the only country with which the EU has an active visa-liberalisation dialogue. This shows the EU’s strong commitment to strengthening our partnership with Armenia,” he said.

The EU Commissioner visited Armenia on March 12 and held talks with PM Nikol Pashinyan and Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan.

Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, has reaffirmed that the EU is determined to strengthen its cooperation with Armenia and its commitment to peace and stability in the region.

“My first visit to Armenia, and certainly not the last, came ahead of the first EU – Armenia Summit in May 2026,” he told Armenpress in an exclusive interview in Yerevan on March 12.

“It shows that the European Union is determined to strengthen its cooperation with Armenia and its commitment to peace, stability and regional cooperation in the South Caucasus. An important part of this is the progress made in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process. The EU stands ready to continue supporting these efforts, including through investments in regional connectivity in line with Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative. Our cooperation is also growing in practical economic areas. The EU and Armenia are implementing the €270 million Resilience and Growth Plan, which supports reforms and strengthens Armenia’s economy and resilience. Through initiatives such as Global Gateway, we are also exploring further investments in regional connectivity, economic diversification, digital and green transitions, energy security and climate cooperation,” the Commissioner added.

At the same time, the Commissioner said that the EU is working to expand Armenia’s trade opportunities and help Armenian businesses benefit more from access to the EU market of around 450 million consumers. “This can open new possibilities for Armenian exports, investment and economic growth,” Brunner said.

The EU Commissioner visited Armenia on March 12 and held talks with PM Nikol Pashinyan and Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan amid the ongoing EU-Armenia visa liberalization dialogue.

The European Union recognises the solid progress Armenia has made in recent years to improve migration governance and strengthen its institutions, Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, told Armenpress in an exclusive interview during his visit to Armenia.

He said that important reforms are underway to modernize migration services and improve migration management, and the EU strongly supports these efforts.

“Since 2020, the EU has provided close to €30 million in technical assistance to support reforms in migration and home affairs, including equipment and support through regional Eastern Partnership programmes. In addition, around €40 million has been provided to support justice and anti-corruption reforms. Through initiatives such as the €270 million Resilience and Growth Plan, we are also helping to strengthen Armenia’s institutions and resilience. At the same time, the EU stands ready to provide further support if needed. The crisis in the Middle East can create humanitarian and migration pressures. In such situations, we will continue to work closely with Armenia to respond to humanitarian needs,” Brunner said.

The EU Commissioner visited Armenia on March 12 and held talks with PM Nikol Pashinyan and Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan amid the ongoing EU-Armenia visa liberalization dialogue.

Visa liberalization is an important part of the EU-Armenia partnership, Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, told Armenpress in an exclusive interview during his visit to Armenia.

The EU Commissioner visited Armenia on March 12 and held talks with PM Nikol Pashinyan and Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan amid the ongoing EU-Armenia visa liberalization dialogue.

The Commissioner emphasized that if the reform momentum continues, visa-free travel in the coming years is a realistic prospect.

“Visa liberalisation is an important part of the EU-Armenia partnership because it brings our people closer together. It will make travel easier for work, study, and tourism. This, in turn, deepens cooperation and people-to-people contacts. Last November, we handed over the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan, and progress has been steady, especially on document security and migration management. The introduction of biometric identity documents is an important step, and I understand this will come into effect soon. Reforms are also continuing in areas such as asylum, and the fight against organised crime and corruption, with support from EU partners and agencies like Europol and Frontex. Visa liberalisation is a benchmark-based process, so all requirements in the Action Plan must be met before a final decision can be taken – not only in the interest of the EU, but most importantly for the Armenian people. The first progress report will be presented at the EU -Armenia Summit in May 2026. If this reform momentum continues, visa-free travel in the coming years is a realistic prospect. It would create new opportunities for Armenian citizens in education, business, tourism, and cultural exchange, and further strengthen ties between Armenia and the European Union,” Brunner told Armenpress.

YEREVAN, 13 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 13 March, USD exchange rate up by 0.1 drams to 377.54 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 3.55 drams to 432.7 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.0786 drams to 4.6847 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 4.89 drams to 500.62 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 618 drams to 62270 drams. Silver price up by 10 drams to 1056.4 drams.

Armenian Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Arayik Harutyunyan met with members of the European side’s preparatory team for the 8th Summit of the European Political Community (EPC), the Armenian government said in a press release.

The participants included Helene Holm-Pedersen, Head of the Directorate-General for External Relations of the President of the Council of Europe, and Marilyn Josefson, Adviser to the Office of the President of the European Council on Foreign Policy.

 EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos also attended the meeting.

According to a readout issued by the Armenian Prime Minister’s Office, the sides discussed issues related to the organizational preparations for the 8th EPC Summit, which will be held in Yerevan in May.

Harutyunyan emphasized the importance of holding the summit at a high level and said preparatory work is being carried out within the planned timeframe.

He expressed gratitude for continued partnership and the sharing of experience, noting that Armenia remains in active contact with EU partners as well as with representatives of countries that hosted previous EPC summits.

The participants also discussed further steps and events related to the organization of the summit.

Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service has warned of a risk of foreign interference in the country’s upcoming June 7 parliamentary elections, saying intelligence indicates that “various actors” are attempting to meddle in the electoral process by pressuring Armenians abroad to support certain political forces.

In a statement issued exclusively to Armenpress on March 10, the service said it had received intelligence that, in a foreign country, various actors presenting themselves as representatives of that country’s special services were attempting to exert pressure on individuals of Armenian origin and citizens of the Republic of Armenia engaged in economic activities there.

According to the statement, they were allegedly attempting to induce them to undertake actions supporting certain political forces that have declared their intention to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia.

On the same day, the Police of Armenia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said that, based on the statement issued by the Foreign Intelligence Service, a report had been sent to the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia, which subsequently initiated criminal proceedings.

The issue became one of the most widely discussed topics in the public sphere, with different political forces interpreting the information in different ways.

Armenpress has addressed the Foreign Intelligence Service with several questions in order to clarify additional details.

– Your statement of March 10 did not contain any details, but it sparked heated public discussions on various aspects. Opinions and assessments were diverse, but the prevailing view was that the Foreign Intelligence Service’s statement should be clear so that people can orient themselves and that such statements should not cause alarm.

– The lack of details typical of intelligence service publications is, as a rule, due to the priority of protecting their activities, sources and methods. This does not mean, however, that clear operational information has not been and is not being transmitted to the competent law enforcement bodies of the Republic of Armenia. This is also evidenced by statements made by both the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia.

As for the claims about alarm, the Service’s goal is to inform our compatriots about such seemingly illegal processes. Within the framework of the powers vested in it by law, the Service carries out actions to prevent and counter the materialization of foreign threats against the Republic of Armenia and its citizens, and this statement should be perceived as one such action. Therefore, the circles carrying out such seemingly illegal actions may have reason to be alarmed.

– Since the statement says that pressure is being exerted on the citizens of the Republic of Armenia to support certain political forces, we also ask you to clarify which forces you are referring to, as the opposition interprets the statement as allegedly “preparing the ground for actions against the opposition” or “trying to provide an advantage for the ruling power.”

– The mandate of the Service is defined by law and includes the protection of the individual, society and the state from external threats, as well as the collection and processing of information for this purpose. Therefore, the mandate of the Service is not conditioned or constrained by the alignment of political forces or the wishes of those forces, neither the ruling nor the opposition. According to the available information, the pressure is aimed at securing support for certain opposition forces.

– Based on your statement, the Investigative Committee initiated criminal proceedings, stating that representatives of various political forces, large businessmen and criminal authorities are exerting pressure on citizens of the Republic of Armenia while acting on behalf of the special services of that country. Does the Investigative Committee have any information on whether the special services of that country are involved in this process? Can we say that in this case we are also dealing with the threat of external interference in the upcoming elections in the Republic of Armenia?

– The information received indicates that these actions pose a risk of external interference in the upcoming democratic elections in our country.

– We would also like to ask you to provide information on what work the Foreign Intelligence Service has carried out since the announcement and what new details, if any, have become known.

– The Service continues to take measures within the framework of its powers to address the issues set before it by law and, naturally, cooperates with all state bodies of the Republic of Armenia.